Ontario Demonstrates Leadership at the 21st Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie

Province Enhancing Francophone Tourism, Immigration, Early Learning and Public Services

The Honourable Marie-France Lalonde, Ontario's Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, met her provincial, territorial and federal counterparts this week in St. John's, Newfoundland to discuss issues critical to Canada's Francophonie.

The conference, held on June 22 and 23, 2016 focused on public French language services, immigration, tourism and early learning and care.

Conference outcomes included agreements to continue to engage ministers responsible for immigration across Canada and to create a Francophone immigration forum to help governments identify strategies to increase francophone immigration.

The ministers also looked at best practices to increase the quality of French language services and discussed the importance of structuring early childhood learning and child care programs across the country to better reflect the francophone culture.

Ontario also reaffirmed its strong support for the development of a Francophone tourism and heritage route as a permanent legacy of Canada's 150th anniversary in 2017.

Ensuring the vitality of the Francophone community is part of the government's economic plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs. The four-part plan includes investing in talent and skills, including helping more people get and create the jobs of the future by expanding access to high-quality college and university education. The plan is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario's history and investing in a low-carbon economy driven by innovative, high-growth, export-oriented businesses. The plan is also helping working Ontarians achieve a more secure retirement.